For Old Times' Sake
by Raven55
Summary: Hermione has a crush on Harry and vice versa. But an assignment goes wrong and she finds herself back in time to when the Marauders were still at Hogwarts. James notices her and seems to lose interest in Lily. But if that happens, then Harry won't be born
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.

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**- For Old Time's Sake -

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**

**- Chapter one -**

Harry opened his eyes.

'Not again!' he thought.

It was after midnight and he had done it again. He couldn't sleep. Knowing that he couldn't go back to sleep, he got out of bed and took a book and started reading. Through his head, pictures of his dreams passed by.

Some made him smile.

'If I could just do it…' he thought.

He watched the sun rise. A golden orb, glowing in the sky. It was actually very pretty, but after seeing it six times in a row it began to lose its charm.

Ron yawned and rolled out of bed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around.

"Aw, Harry…not again." He exclaimed.

Harry just nodded.

"You too, this time Ron. This is weird. Why?"

"Beats me. I just wanted a good night's sleep."

Harry put his book down. Ron noticed his tired face.

"Boy…you could use a good night's sleep as well. Was it the same again?"

"Yeah…Can't seem to get it out of my head. Never thought it was this bad."

Ron shook his head, a bit of a smile on his face.

"But," Harry continued, "There is something else…it's my parents…I- I keep seeing them too. I want to get to them…but I can't reach them no matter how fast I run. I just…it keeps coming back to me. I'm tired, exhausted."

"Oh…Oh, I'm sorry Harry. I didn't know."

"It's not your fault their dead, Ron. And it's not like I'm dreaming about you, or something." Harry added, jokingly.

Ron seemed a little edgy now Harry had mentioned his parents, but the joke made him smile again.

"Well….we're awake now…why not use it to do something important." Harry said. "I wasn't really pleased with that combo Julia and Ginny performed last practice. They didn't pass the ball quick enough."

"Yeah, You're right. They need to practice it a bit more. And not to mention what our Beaters did last time."

Harry groaned loudly as he remembered that nasty fall.

"Let's get cracking. Accio chart!"

* * *

"Harry! You look tired! Are you getting enough sleep?" Hermione ran over to him at the breakfast table.

He looked at her with his green eyes, trying to put a smile on her face, but his tiredness made it hard.

"I'm okay, I'm okay. Don't fuss about me."

He felt his face go red as she laid a hand on his forehead. There they went again, those butterflies. Fluttering around in his stomach as if they had nothing better to do than to tease him.

Ron smiled behind his hand.

"Say Harry…Isn't there something you want to tell Hermione? About why you can't go to sleep at night?" Ron teased with a cheeky grin plastered over his face.

Harry felt himself go red. "N-No…not really…"

Hermione looked into his eyes curiously.

"What? Is it your scar? If you tell me, I might be able to help you." She said softly. "Perhaps I can find a spell to stop the dreams…"

"N-no…I'm pretty sure you can't help me…I, err…" he stuttered.

He knew he couldn't keep this up. She'd drag it out of him in a matter of seconds if he didn't come up with something really quickly. So he did the only thing he could do.

"It's a dream about my parents."

He lied.

"I keep running, but I never reach them. It's just…it's just so…frustrating…"

So it wasn't a complete lie. It was true that he had dreamed about his parents. It just wasn't the dream Ron had hinted about.

"It's just that…I wish I could see them, talk to them. Hold their hands. Even if it was only once. I just want to know what kind of people they were…"

Hermione put her arm around him to comfort him. "We all do, Harry. All the things we've heard about them were so wonderful. They were really brave and they were strong. They were all the good things you can imagine. I would want to meet them too!"

A sudden clatter at the head table made the three of them look up. Dumbledore had dropped his goblet and hastily took out his wand to clear up the mess.

He smiled politely at professor McGonagall, who gave him a curious look.

Hermione turned back to Harry, suddenly realising what she had just said.

"But it's different for you, for course. I'm sorry, I let myself get carried away and I….that was horrid of me."

"No, don't worry about it."

"Yes I do. I'm so sorry. I'll…I'll just go to- to the library…"

She hastily gathered her things and left the table.

"Hermione wait!" Harry followed her, as well as Ron.

Dumbledore looked at them, at Hermione. A gleam appeared in his eyes and a smile formed on his face.

* * *

"So…why didn't you do it?" Ron said, his face half smiling, half wondrous.

Harry looked back at him with a hint of anger in his eyes. "I could just strangle you for saying those things. I can't believe you did that!"

He sighed.

"But you understand why I did it, right?" Ron asked as he stretched out on the couch.

"Yeah…I understand."

"You've got to tell her one day. You can't keep this up for ever, you know. It's keeping you up at night, you think about her every minute of every day…I'm sure you really love her."

"But I just can't! What if she doesn't…feel the same way. I'd feel like a real prick and she would stay away from me."

Ron closed his eyes. "Don't worry so much. I'm sure she won't stay away from you if you told her. If it's not mutual then she'll still want to be your friend. It's Hermione we're talking about! For heaven's sake, she won't avoid us for the rest for our lives just because you told her you love her."

Harry stayed silent. He stared at the chart of the Quidditch Pitch in front of him. Ron sat up and bowed down over the chart, pushing around little brooms with his wand.

"So…are you going to tell her or not?" he urged.

Harry silently wrote down the moves Ron had just pointed out.

"It'll make you feel better."

Harry finally looked up. "…Alright. I will."

Ron let out a loud sigh of relief and smiled broadly. "Good on you, mate. And not a moment too soon either I might add. So….when?"

"I'll…I'll tell her….after the match on Saturday…yeah, I will!"

"Then let's make sure we win."

Eagerly they concentrated on the chart again. Now they had an extra reason to win the last match of the season.

* * *

Harry waited in the shelter of his bed curtains until he was sure he heard Ron snoring. He reached under his bed and fumbled around in the dark until his fingers stumbled upon a leather-bound book.

He carefully laid the book on his pillow and looked at it for a while, tracing the letters with a finger. He opened it and went right through it, right to the last few pages.

He searched for the photograph of a young couple underneath a tree. They smiled and hugged each other, sometimes waving at him. The next picture was of the same couple, only this time they were kissing. The boy's hands were tangling themselves up in her read hair.

It made Harry happy to see his parents so young, so happy. So perfect.

He took it out of the album to look at it more closely. The young James released Lily from the kiss to wink at Harry from behind his glasses. Harry smiled.

He started and dropped the photograph when he heard a shout coming from Ron's bed. "No, Harry! The snitch!…it's right there…"

Harry breathed out again. It was just one of Ron's Quidditch dreams.

He bent down over the picture again and suddenly noticed it had writing on the back of it. He looked at it curiously.

_'This photograph was taken by Sirius on the day James asked her out for the first time. It was taken in Hogsmeade the day after our spring ball.'_

Harry didn't recognise the handwriting, but assumed it to be one of Lily's old school friend's, as it looked like a female handwriting.

He looked at the photograph again. So this was their first date. It looked romantic. Maybe he should take Hermione to Hogsmeade…take her to that tree, if he could find it…

No. He'd decided to ask her Saturday after the match and that was what he would do. He couldn't keep trying to be like his dad.

With a sigh he put the photograph back into the album. He looked at the little white envelope on the page next to the photograph and opened it. Inside it was a little note that accompanied a silver ring.

The ring had a lion depicted on it. The Gryffindor lion, he assumed.

He read the note.

'_Given to Lily by James._' It said in the same handwriting as before. _'On the day after the spring ball._'

He put the note back into the envelope but slipped the ring into his pocket.

'Perhaps…' he thought sleepily.

* * *

Hermione smiled as the wastebasket in front of her changed into a small stool.

"Well done, miss Granger. Ten points to Gryffindor."

Hermione beamed and blushed at the praise she got from Harry and Ron behind her.

"Nice one Hermione." Neville muttered just before his own wastebasket caught fire.

The bell rang. A loud rumble of books being shut, chairs being dragged over the floor and people talking filled the classroom. Before Hermione could leave the classroom, she was stopped by professor McGonagall.

"Just a minute, miss Granger. The professors noticed that the assignments they give you are not costing you as much effort as they are the other students. They are concerned that your talents aren't being challenged enough."

Hermione stared up at her with surprise.

"So the school council has decided to give you some more assignments of a more advanced kind of magic."

She handed Hermione a stack of books and a silver hourglass filled with blue sparkling sand.

"They know you are familiar with time travelling, because of the Time Turner they gave you in third year. So it was decided to start with some essays about time travelling."

Hermione looked at her difficultly. "I won't have to actually _do_ any time travelling, will I?"

McGonagall laughed. "Good heavens, no! These assignments don't require that at all. It's just some plain answering of questions, miss Granger. And all the answers can be found in these books. Good luck."

"Thank you professor."

"Now hurry along. You're late for your next lesson. Potions, I believe."

Hermione nodded and hurried down to the dungeons.

"I'm sorry I'm late, professor!" she squealed as she took her place next to Neville. "But professor McGonagall-"

Snape looked at her with icy eyes. "Five points from Gryffindor for talking before you're asked."

She opened her mouth to say something but decided it was better not to. Instead she looked at the chalkboard.

'Floating Draft.'

Below it the ingredients were stated. She started to pulverise the feathers of a dove when Harry whispered her name.

"Hermione?"

Her heart fluttered. It did that every time he said her name. He just had to look at her with those green eyes and she'd melt on the spot.

"Yes?"

"What kept you? Ron thought you had passed out under the weight of your bag."

He grinned.

She smiled at him and wanted to answer him, but turned around when a rotten, burning smell entered her nose.

She quickly stirred her feather powder into her own potion and looked at a frightened Neville next to her. Instead of a sky blue, the potion had turned a deep colour of yellow. It was bubbling like mad and the smell of rotting eggs and burnt milk soon filled the entire classroom.

Neville had gone white. He looked at Hermione, hoping she could help him. But a large shadow was already blocking the light on their two cauldrons. Snape looked at him with a look that could have killed sunlight. A sweat drop hung from the end of his nose.

Neville whimpered. The entire class shuddered at Snape's intake of breath.

"How many times! For goodness sake, Longbottom! How many times!"

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This was the first chapter of a number to come and I hope you all enjoyed it. If you did, or even if you didn't, leave a review if you like. I promise I will update soon.**


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.

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**- Chapter 2**

"For goodness sake, Longbottom! How many times do I need to tell you that you add the root _after_ mixing the potion with powdered feathers!"

Snape was towering over poor Neville. Hermione stuck up her hand.

"Please sir. I can help him."

Snape glared at her. "First you're late and then you interrupt me? Another ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek, miss Granger!"

Harry looked at her.

"So unfair!" he mouthed.

Hermione nodded but looked embarrassed. After the lesson they waited until they were out of hearing distance before yelling.

"That biased git!" Ron shouted.

Harry straightened his sweater. "Yeah…don't worry. We'll show him tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Hermione looked up. "What's tomorrow?"

"You know…don't tell me you've forgotten! Last match of the season. Gryffindor versus Slytherin!"

"Oh…right."

Ron looked disgruntled. "You _are_ coming to see us, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, yes of course I am…I'll just have to finish my essay tonight. Before the match starts anyway."

"You really take too many subjects." Harry said with a yawn.

They headed to the common room, thankful that it was finally weekend. Harry and Ron decided to discuss some last minute tactics for the game, determined to win the next day.

After trying to pay attention, but failing miserably, Hermione decided to work on her essay instead. She came down the stairs carrying a fresh role of parchment, a few books and a strange hourglass.

Ron gave her an inquiring look. "What are you doing?"

"It's my essay. McGonagall gave it to me. I've got to answer a few questions on 'time'."

Harry tore his eyes away from his chart to look at her. "On time? What do you mean?"

She blushed at feeling his eyes on her. "Oh…it's just…well it's got to do with time travelling. Because of the Time Turner, they thought it would be appropriate. You know…to study the effects time travelling can have."

"But that was ages ago." Ron said.

"I know that. But the teachers are apparently worried that I'm not being challenged enough. So…they gave me this. But don't worry, if I start now it'll be done before the match starts tomorrow."

Harry beamed at her. "Good."

She blushed again and looked away, trying to ignore the slight fluttering in her stomach.

"Well, we'd better turn in, Ron. We've got to be wide awake if we want to beat those Slytherins tomorrow. Ginny sneaked in on their practice and they've got some sharp moves we have to look out for."

Ron nodded. Hermione watched her two friends go back up the stairs and she returned to her essay. She wanted to start when someone distracted her.

"Hermione?" Neville looked at her pleadingly. "Can you help me…please? If I don't get this right Snape will murder me."

Hermione sighed, gave the clock a wishful look and nodded.

"Sure Neville. I'll help."

* * *

The alarm clock was yelling. The sharp ring interrupted her dream and she slammed her hand on it to shut it up. She turned around and continued to sleep again. Suddenly her eyes opened wide.

"Shit!"

It was already morning. She jumped out of bed and gathered her things. Her unfinished essay lay forgotten on her desk. She quickly sat down on her bed to put on her shocks and shoes.

There wouldn't be any breakfast now, everybody else was at the Pitch.

"Shit, shit, shit!"

The match had already started. She was too late. And if Ron and Harry ever found out that she hadn't been there, then they would kill her. She'd have to take the essay along to the match and do some of it during the game, the rest after it was over.

She picked up her parchment, books and quill, thinking how she could have been done with it already, hadn't Neville wanted her help.

She ran through the great Hall, through the doors and across the field of grass. High above the stands she could see little green and red specks flying around. A loud cheer came from the crowd.

Suddenly one of the red specks shot away from his resting position. Harry had seen the snitch!

He made sharp turn all across the field, speeding as he went along.

"Go Harry!" she cheered.

And then it happened.

In an effort to cup her hands to her mouth to cheer him on, she forgot she had her arms full. Everything fell to the ground. A loud crash told her the hourglass had broken.

She looked down and saw the broken shards of glass all over the dusty ground. She tried to put the sand back into the lower bulb, but it stuck to her hands. She tried to wipe it on her robes, but only made the sand stick to those as well.

It struck her as odd that the sand was now sparkling.

A strange feeling in her head made her dizzy for a second or two. She shook her head and looked around.

The noise from the Pitch had died down. No more cheers filled the air.

'That's weird…' she thought.

She stared at the Pitch and saw only a few red specks in the air. The green ones had disappeared.

'Were they called down by Madam Hooch?'

She bent down to pick up her books…but there were no books. There was no glass on the grass and there was no blue sand on her robes.

She looked around in confusion.

"What is going on…?"

She looked around again. Still confused, she decided to make her way towards the Pitch. Perhaps, however unlikely, Ron or Harry could tell her what this was all about.

As she climbed the stands, she noticed they were almost completely empty. The field was only occupied by a few Gryffindor players.

"This is so weird…" she muttered to herself.

She scanned the air with her eyes. Her heart did a little jump as her eyes landed on Harry. His black hair was even messier than usual. She was glad he wasn't looking her way, now she could hide her blush.

She walked down and saw a group of seventh year girls, dressed in Gryffindor clothes. Hermione didn't recognise them. The girls were watching the players show off on their brooms.

She sat down next to the giggling girls. A red haired girl was looking rather bored. Another girl with blond curls looked at Hermione and stretched out her hand.

"Hey, haven't seen you around before. My name's Catherine Mullet. Cathy or Cath for short."

"Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you…" Hermione finished confusedly.

She stared back up at the sky.

"Is Harry still up there?" she asked.

The girl named Cathy gave her a strange look. "Harry? Harry Stafford? What would a bookworm like him do up there?"

Hermione looked back. "No, I mean Harry Po-"

She was cut off by the swish of cloaks. The players had landed and were now walking up towards the girls. Cathy straightened her blouse and smiled prettily.

Hermione watched the black-haired boy land and hurry up too. She could see their faces, but none of them were familiar.

The boys and girls were laughing and joking and she just watched them, feeling a little bit alone.

"Hey Potter! Say hi to the new girl. And be nice for a change!" the red-haired girl said suddenly.

Her heart jumped again. See, it _was_ Harry.

"Sheesh, calm down Evans. I was already on my way, wasn't I?" he shouted back.

He walked up to her, took her hand and gave it a small kiss. He turned his head up and smiled. She looked into his eyes. His _brown_ eyes.

"Hi." He said. "I'm James Potter."

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**Wow, so many reviews on the first chapter! I didn't expect so many so soon. Well, thanks you guys, that really made my day when I woke up this morning and saw all those reactions.**

**Emma Barrows:** Hey Emma! Great to see you here. I'm glad you like it so far and I hope the rest won't disappoint you. I know I'll be haering from you soon :) and vice versa too, now I finally got a firewall installed on my own computer, 'cause now I will be able to read your stories again too!

**Spawn32818:** Glad it seems good to you. I hope to hear more from you during the story!

**IndigoStar12020:** I was certainly planning to contiue writing this story. There are about eight chapters in total so you can count on a few chapters to come! Hope to hear from you through/out the story.

**Rosa:** I most certainly will continue posting and i hope this will make you continue reviewing! Thanks for the review :)

**Metamorphmagusgirl:** I am glad you liked the beginning so much. I wasn´t too sure about itmyself, but if you like it I am sure it must be okay. I hope you will keep reading my updates!

**SamusAran238:** I´m glad you like the story and to answer your question; it doesn't really play in a certain book. It takes place in their seventh year, but I wrote the story before book six came out, so there are a few things in this story that don0t really make sense if you read book six already. For one thing, Dumbledore is still alive and Harry's got a crush on Hermione and not on Ginny so it doesn't take place in a book, just in my imagination :)

**Thank you everyone for your reviews, it was a really good thing to see so many hapy reactions on something I just posted yesterday. I won't be able to update in a week or so, because I'm going away on a camp and then I will go home to celebrate my dad's birthday. (Does anyone have any suggestion as to what I could buy for him? ;) ) But when I get back I will update again and I hope to see you all there too.**

**Love, Raven55**


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.

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**- Chapter 3**

'James? James Potter?' it shot through her head. 'Not Harry….but James….of course! Evans!'

She looked at the red-haired girl surprised and suddenly asked herself why she hadn't noticed it before. This was Lily Evans. Harry's mother.

"Hi…everyone. I'm Hermione Granger…"

James took her hand and pointed at the others one by one.

"These lovely ladies are Cathy Mullet, Emma Lennox, Lily Evans and Susan Vaughn. The boys over there…aren't really important. But this one, Hermione, is someone you have to meet. Padfoot! Come over here for a sec. Cathy doesn't drop dead the minute you leave her side."

A tall, good looking boy made his way towards them and made a bow with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Sirius Black." He said, introducing himself. "Sirius by name but certainly no-"

"Not by nature, yes we know." James interrupted. "Do you have to introduce yourself like that every time you meet someone new?"

"Well, how about you? Do you have to kiss a girl's hand every time you meet one?" Sirius answered back.

They looked at each other before bursting out in a laughing fit.

"Don't worry." Emma said. "They're always like that. You'll get used to it."

"So…" said Sirius when he had recovered. "I haven't seen you here before. Where are you from?"

Her mind was racing. What could she say? She could hardly go round proclaiming she was from the future. She had been…transported back in time, somehow. Sirius, James, Lily…they were all here. She couldn't possible tell them.

"I, err, I transferred here…because…my school couldn't….give me the education I needed. I was, err, too advanced and my…parents were afraid I wasn't being challenged enough at school." She said, copying McGonagall's words in order to find a plausible lie.

James gave her an inquiring look. "But what school did you go to?"

"…I come from a school…in Ireland…Stone Ridge."

She thanked the books she had read on wizarding schools. She had never expected their knowledge to come in handy in a situation like this.

"Stone Ridge?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"Yeah Potter! If you read more, perhaps you'd actually know some things. There are more schools about than just Hogwarts, you know!"

James snapped up.

"Yeah, alright, Evans. I know I don't read as much as you, but why should I when you're already spewing every bit of knowledge _you_ get from them out at us every time we pas by! If I ever need to know something I'll just ask you!"

Lily opened her mouth to say something but got dragged away by Susan and Emma.

"Come on, you too Hermione." Cathy said. "We'd best not leave you behind with these guys. James and Sirius might seem cute and harmless, but they're really quite the troublemakers."

Cathy took her hand and dragged her off towards the school. Hermione allowed herself to be taken up to the girls' dormitory. It gave her an odd feeling to see the walls covered in posters and photographs that were unknown to her.

Instead of the poster of the Weird Sisters band, the wall was covered in posters of people she didn't recognise, photographs of Lily and Emma at the House table instead of Parvati and Lavender. It hurt her, making her long for home.

"You okay, Hermione? You look a bit pale." Emma said as she let herself fall down on her bed.

"I'm okay, just a bit tired…from the journey." She said difficultly.

Lily got to her feet again. "You're a seventh year, aren't you?"

Hermione nodded.

"Then why didn't they put another bed in here? Why weren't we told?"

Hermione stared around nervously. "I, err... Maybe they forgot."

Lily helped her up. "We'd better go to Dumbledore then. To ask for a fifth bed. You can't sleep on the floor."

Hermione nodded thankfully. Dumbledore. That was the one she needed to see. He'd know what to do, right?

"Yes, thank you Lily. Good idea."

The girl smiled at her, her green eyes sparkling. Those eyes. Harry's eyes. Another wave of homesickness came over her.

"Em, are you coming too?"

"No, I'm helping Susan with her potions. Cathy can go, though." Emma replied.

Cathy muttered something about 'Padfoot' and 'homework'. The others looked at each other, making strange faces.

"Oh well, guess it's just us two, Hermione. Come on then."

* * *

"Cor, I can't take much more of his yelling." Sirius stated as he changed into his school robes. 

"Well, if you'd just use the tactics Rivers wants you to use he wouldn't _have_ to yell and we'd finish practice earlier." James said. "But then again, you wouldn't be able to show off as much as you do for Cathy if we finished earlier." He added with a grin.

"Look who's talking!" Sirius replied. "Everyone knows you're trying to impress Lily."

"I do not! Well…only a little. Anyway, perhaps I'm going to stop doing that anyway. Now that there's a new fish in the Hogwarts sea."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You mean the new girl? Hermione? No way!"

"Why not? She seems alright."

"But…you've been chasing after Evans for over two years! Without much success, but still. And now you're going to give all that up just because a new girl walks by?"

"Listen, you've got no right to judge me on that bit of my life, okay? How about you and Cathy? You two have been dancing around each other for the last two to three years and still nothing has come of it."

Sirius waited a moment before replying.

"…Alright. I'll fix that problem. I'll…ask her to the ball. And…then, yeah sure. I'll ask her if she wants to be my girlfriend. If she accepts the invitation first, mind you."

James patted his friend on the back. "Good decision, Padfoot old friend. Now…what about me…I think I'll ask that Hermione to the ball…to make her feel at home. We wouldn't want her to feel left out."

Sirius snorted. "Yeah right. Whatever. I'm not buying that, Prongs. You just want to see if you've got a shot at her. Just make sure you don't make Lily the one who feels left out, okay?"

James didn't answer. He just smiled his famous smile. The boys laughed and ran back up at the castle.

* * *

The corridors, too, seemed different to Hermione. Less old, somehow. She knew this was rubbish, but it did strike her that there was a whole different feel to the place. Maybe it was just seeing all those unknown faces. 

Lily stopped in front of a statue of a gargoyle.

"…Chocolate Frog?" she tried.

It didn't budge.

"Err, okay…Sugar Quill."

Still it didn't move. She sighed heavily.

"Pumpkin Pas-"

"Don't exhaust yourself, Evans. You're not bright enough to figure it out without having read it somewhere before. Too bad he didn't write a book about his passwords, eh?"

"Oh, leave it Potter." She snapped back.

James just smiled his dazzling smile and for a moment Hermoine blushed. James noticed and mentally patted himself on his back.

Hermione quickly turned around, faced the gargoyle and named the first sort of candy that jumped to mind.

"Fizzing Whizzbees."

The gargoyle jumped up and stepped aside. Lily smirked at James.

"We got it. _Bye_ James." She said as she stepped inside.

"Nice one, Granger. Didn't think you'd get it, to tell you the truth." He said.

She looked at him briefly.

"That just goes to show you don't know me." She said before she quickly followed Lily inside.

They walked slowly towards the richly decorated office doors. Lily waited before knocking on the door.

"Now to tell you the truth, Dumbledore, our headmaster, is rather old and sometimes he can come across a bit funny. He's a nice old bloke though."

"Thank you for that compliment, miss Evans." A voice said from behind them.

Lily immediately coloured the same shade of red as her hair as she looked up at him embarrassed.

"Do come inside. I believe you're here to see me?" Dumbledore said as he opened the door and let them enter.

He sat down behind his desk and conjured up two comfortable chairs for them to sit down in.

"Now, you have something to discuss with me?" he peered over his half-moon glasses.

"This is Hermione Granger, sir. The transfer student girl from Stone Ridge…" she added, trying to get a look of recognition on Dumbledore's face. "Something must've gone wrong, because there isn't a bed for her in our dormitory."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and examined Hermione. After a moment of silence he cleared his throat.

"Yes, I remember. There has been a misunderstanding. Miss Granger was supposed to arrive _next_ week, not today."

Hermione looked at him surprised but managed to keep her face straight.

"Now, I have some things to discuss with miss Granger here. If you'd please excuse us, miss Evans."

Lily nodded and got up. "I'll wait for you outside."

Dumbledore waited till Lily had closed the door before looking at Hermione intently. She felt really uncomfortable under his gaze. She tried a smile, but felt it wasn't suitable for a situation like this and looked at her hands again.

"I do think there really has been a misunderstanding, miss Granger. Petrus O'Brian, Headmaster at Stone Ridge, is a close friend of mine and, despite my age, I'd know if I had forgotten something like a transfer student. I think I'd know if Petrus had said something like that to me. You're not really from Stone Ridge, are you, miss Granger."

He looked at her.

"You're wearing Gryffindor robes, you've got a Gryffindor badge…Yet you do not seem to belong here. What is your secret, miss Granger."

This was followed by a long silence. Hermione wondered what to say. She could tell Dumbledore the truth, couldn't she? If anyone could help her, it was him.

"I-" she stared. "I've got a problem, Professor. I'm not…how can I put this…I'm not from here…Well, I _am_, but not quite."

Dumbledore leaned forward over his desk. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand you."

"Yes professor. I mean to say…I'm not from this _time. _I've met the children of people who walk around here…my best friend is Harry Potter, James Potter's son! I'm not supposed to be here, I- I don't know how to get back, please help me get back!"

She started to sob. Dumbledore looked at her, taking in her broken figure.

"I see…" he said. "That does explain your sudden arrival and your robes…Can you tell me what happened?"

"I- I was late for the last Quidditch match of the season and my two best friends were playing. So…so I was running. But I had my arms full with an extra assignment for school. Books and an hourglass…I saw Harry chasing the Snitch so I cheered and dropped my things. The hourglass broke and next thing I knew I was here."

Dumbledore nodded and muttered something to himself.

"Yes…yes, I see. Tell me about the hourglass."

"It was…it had a silver frame and…it was filled with blue sand. It just broke and the sand was sparkling. I tried to put it back into the hourglass but it stuck to my hands and clothes."

"I think I can solve your problem, miss Granger. I know the type of magic you've been in contact with, but finding a way to get you back is going to take a while. You will join the other seventh year girls from Gryffindor. I'll put you in their classes."

He stood up and cleaned his glasses with a white piece of cloth.

"I will try to get a remedy ready as soon as possible. And…it would be wise not to tell James about that son of his…in fact, it would be better not to tell anyone about this whole situation."

She nodded and got up. "Yes professor. Thank you."

"That's quite alright. You'd better go outside. I believe miss Evans is still waiting for you."

She quickly left the office and joined Lily.

"So, how did it go with Dumbledore. Problem solved?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He said it had been a… a mix-up in the dates. I'm joining you and the girls in your classes."

Lily led the way into the Great Hall. "It's nearly lunchtime so Cathy will be here any minute."

A loud crash made them look up. A group of four boys was at the far end of the Hall. Lily sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.

"Not again…" she said.

She pointed at the boys.

"Hermione, meet the Marauders."

* * *

**

* * *

Well, I've just returned from camp and it was great! I really got to know a few people and some of them really really well too! So I feel like I've made a lot of new friends and it feels good to know that there are at least a big bunch of friendly people in this new city I already know.**

**And I've got a tan for once ;) That's what you get when you're outside constantly for two weeks. **

**I'm going home today, but I'll be back soon enough to update, even though my college year will start next monday.**

**Emma Barrows:** Thank you! I most certainly will update soon!

**Olga de Bont:** Hey! Nice to see you're reading this too! Glad you like it!

**Tessa:** I myself am not a great fan of timetraveling stories, so I don't quite know why I wrote this. But I am glad you like it so much :)

**Metamorphusgirl:** nn I'll assume that meant you liked it :D

**Dead Red Head:** Yeah, I don't like fics in which people change who Hermione really is. She was written in a certain way by Rowling and in my opinion you have to keep that hermione the way she is. Glad you like the story.

**Kazemar-kaemi:** You think so? I thought there were a lot of hermione/james fics out there in which time traveling is used. But if you think it's original, then who am I to argue ;)

**Lucerito-del-alma:** Glad you like the play between hermione and james. It's really hard to make it convincing. And what you said about different tastes in pairings, well, i prefer hermione/ron above all. But I find it really hard to write it! And I had to use Harry as the object of her affections in this fic because I'd never be able to use james the way I do in this story. But you like the story and that's the most important thing. I'll check out your story too! I am really interested in knowing what Gandalf and Dumbledore are going to talk about :D

**IndigoStar12020:** Jup, eight it is. Perhaps it might sound a bit short, but it was perfect for what I wanted to tell without going on and on about the same thing for too long.

**Mandy:** Yes I'll email you. Glad you like it so far.

**Kerri:** woohoo! You love it? Yeah! Now that's what I like to hear!

**Madam Sorceress:** Yeah, James is a little charmer, isn't he. And yeah, something does happen, though perhaps not what everyone might expect. I wasn't sure what i was going to let happen when I started to write this fic, but I got it all cleaer now.

**Gwynn-Potter:** Well, here I am! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**Woohoo! I got 12 reviews on just a single chapter! I feel so happy...:D I'll update soon enough.**

**But now I've got to go. I still need to eat breakfast and pack/unpack my bag before my parents come to pick me up.**

**See you guys at the next chapter! **

**Love, raven55**


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.

* * *

**- Chapter 4**

"The marauders?" Hermione whispered wondrously.

She had heard so much about them already, from the Sirius and Remus she knew back home. But now she was going to meet all four of them for real.

'How real can this be, though…' she thought.

All of this felt more like a dream than a reality.

Lily sighed again. "Yes, the Marauders. A little group of pranksters led by James and Sirius. You've met them, I don't think you'd want to meet the others. So let's just go to the-"

"Hey Hermione!" James shouted across the Hall.

"Don't go, Hermione. They'll trick you into doing something horrid or they'll make fun of you one way or another." Lily said warningly.

But James had already taken her hand and was trying to take her over to the others. "Come off it, Evans. I'm not always a jerk. I only act like that to those who deserve it!"

"So you're saying that your pranks on Snape are justified? And how about the way you act towards me!"

"Like I said, Evans. I only prank those who deserve it." He said with a smirk as he pulled Hermione away from Lily.

"You pull _one_ stunt on her and I'll report you to McGonagall!"

James ignored her with a small chuckle and pulled Hermione away from her. Hermione smiled at her apologetically but Lily just sighed.

"They never listen…oh, Cathy! Over here!" and with that she ran towards the door to meet her friend.

Hermione allowed James to drag her over to the other three boys at the far end of the hall. She could swear this was Harry. The way he talked, walked…just the way he held himself. And of course that messy black hair.

She recognised Sirius from a small distance because he had introduced himself earlier that day. But the others…not even though she already knew their identities could she recognise them.

"Moony, no preaching. Wormtail, best behaviour. This," he said, pushing Hermione forward, "Is a new student."

"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger." She said, extending her hand to shake all of theirs.

"I'm Remus Lupin." Said a boy with brown greyish hair.

He smiled. So did she. It was…funny to meet Lupin like this.

Now that he had told her who he was did she see the resemblances Even though he was still a young boy, now as old as she was, serious lines had already etched their way onto his face. She expected them to be caused by the difficult life he had as a werewolf.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Hermione. I'm Peter Pettigrew."

She hesitated less than a second before shaking his hand. She studied his face. This was the boy who would betray his friends. She could tell James right now not to trust him. She could say that right here. She could make sure Harry would still have his parents.

But…Peter…was still only an innocent schoolboy here. Perhaps he hadn't done anything yet. And she wasn't here to change anything. That could easily change history all together. She'd had enough experience with the Time Turner to know that.

She forced a smile onto her face. "Are you four always pulling pranks like Lily says?"

Remus smiled. "Lily is fond of us even though she denies it. She likes _us_, but not our pranks."

"Yeah…but pranks…are a way of living. Once you start, you sort of keep doing it." James said dreamily.

Hermione nodded.

"Kind of like breaking the rules. If you do it once, it keeps happening along the way." She said, muttering to herself.

She remembered the Fluffy adventure only too well. But thinking of that made her feel homesick again. Her face fell.

James noticed her sudden frown and put his arm around her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah…just…just a bit homesick. I miss my friends...I don't know anyone here."

"That's not true!" Sirius exclaimed as he also put an arm around her. "You've got the girls and you've got us!"

Hermione smiled at them. "Yeah, that's true. I'm sure you guys will make sure I feel right at home here."

James winked at Sirius.

"But I'd better go back to Lily and Cathy. Nice meeting you two." She said, nodding at Remus and Peter.

She turned around and walked back to Lily, turning around once to wave at the boys.

James smirked. "See, Padfoot. She's _counting_ on us to make her feel home. She's depending on us, the poor girl."

"James…don't go using her because she doesn't know about your reputation."

James looked offended, sincerely offended.

"Padfoot, that is really not what I wanted to do! She's new and I happen to like her. She has this attitude most girls don't have. She's friendly, nice and not looking too bad either…" he added.

Remus coughed politely. "Excuse me, James. But if I remember correctly, and I think I do, then you were trying to convince _Lily_ to go to he ball with you."

"Yeah Prongs…" Peter said. "You've been trying to get her to go out with you for ages. You were chasing her down the corridor only just yesterday. And now you're suddenly going after someone completely different. Someone you really don't know."

James looked at him, a hint of confused annoyance in his eyes. "Will you guys please stop bugging me about this…Stop it, okay?"

Sirius raised his eyebrow. "You okay, James?"

"Fine." He muttered.

Sirius raised his hand as Peter wanted to continue his preach.

"Okay Prongs, we'll stop. Just as long as you keep in mind what you're doing."

James nodded and an unnatural silence fell over the four of them. Sirius looked at the unusually solemn faces.

"Alright, you three! Let's do something! We've got a reputation to uphold."

"Yeah…I know, let's find Snivellus. I'm sure he's doing something to annoy us right now." James sad with a grin.

"What, like breathing?"

"Exactly."

* * *

"Cathy! Over here!" Lily quickly ran over to her friend. 

Cathy smiled and sat down at the other side of the table.

"So." She said. "How did things go with Dumbledore."

Lily shrugged. "Alright. Says Hermione arrived a week early. But they're putting her up in our dormitory and she's going to be in our classes."

Cathy nodded and shoved her books aside to make room for the magically appearing plates.

"And how are things with James?" she informed casually.

Lily felt her face grow hot. "What do you mean? He's still being his arrogant self. Thinking he can persuade me into going to the ball with him by acting like a complete git."

"Yes, I know that sweetie. We all saw him doing that ridiculous little dance in the corridors yesterday. To be honest I didn't know he had such a feeling for rhythm. But did you accept his invitation or not, he's been asking you ever since the announcement."

"Yeah, trice every day." Lily reminded her. "Morning, lunch and dinner. Every day it's the same routine."

"What I mean to say is…" Cathy continued. "Even though he is a moron and a self-conscious git, he has been doing almost _everything_ to get you to go out with him. Why do you think that is."

"Because he's stupid enough to believe that his tricks actually work on me?"

"No…Lily, have you never considered the possibility that James might be doing those things, making a fool of himself in front of everybody, because he really likes you?"

She sighed. Was Cathy being serious?

"I…I suppose I did wonder…But I don't think someone like James-"

"I think that _exactly_ someone like James would like you. And if you'd stop lying to yourself you'd find that you like him too. It's obvious to all of _us_, so why can't _you_ see it?"

Lily looked away, trying to stop herself from blushing. Yes, she did like James. A lot. But she would never admit it to such an arrogant-

"Alright!" she said quickly, interrupting her own train of thought. "I'll do it. I'll say yes when he asks me at lunch."

Cathy laughed loud and satisfied, but suddenly nearly choked on one of the 'ha's'. Lily looked at her with a mixture of surprise and confusion. Noticing Cathy's eyes, she looked where Cathy was looking.

James had put his arm around Hermione's shoulder. His face was suddenly serious.

Lily's smile faded into a more solemn expression.

"Hey, it's probably not what it looks like." Cathy said quickly.

Lily nodded vaguely.

"Lily, I'll bet it's because she's new. She must…she must be sad about something. She's-"

Now her voice stopped for a second.

"See? Sirius is comforting her too. Look at her sad face. You're alright, Lily. You didn't honestly think that James would-"

Lily's expression lifted a bit. "No, I don't think I _did_ think James would. I mean, after all he's done trying to persuade me, he wouldn't just flirt with the next girl that passes by, would he? You're right. I was just being a bit…worried, I suppose. Because I just decided to go with him and all…hey wait! What about you? How's everything going with Sirius?"

Cathy shook her head. "No, he hasn't asked me yet. I'm still waiting, though. And if he doesn't hurry up soon, I'll have to do it for him."

"_You'd_ ask _him_?" Lily giggled.

Their fit of giggles was interrupted by Hermione, who had returned from her talk with the boys.

"Hey Lily, hey Cathy. Those guys aren't half as bad as you told me they'd be." She said jokingly. "They're actually quite nice."

Cathy smiled. "Yeah, they are now. Wait till you get to know them better, then you'll thank us for the warning. But…we saw you were feeling a little down…homesick?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, I missed my friends back home all of a sudden. But the boys were really sweet."

Lily smiled. "Yeah, they can be really sweet guys…but they're also…a bit scheming sometimes. You never quite know what they've got up their sleeves."

Suddenly the tables were filled with silver plates with food.

"Ah, lunch." Said a voice behind them.

"Hi Remus." Lily and Cathy greeted their friend, who sat down at the other side of the table.

Sirius and James showed up too.

"Here's your chance! Ask him!" Lily whispered to Cathy.

"Hi Sirius." Cathy said in her sweetest voice.

Sirius smiled. Lily knew that smile, it meant he was up to something.

"Greetings, fair lady Catherine." He said dramatically as he bowed before her, twisting his arm in peculiar waves as he came back up.

Cathy giggled but Lily rolled her eyes. She and Hermione could hear James and Remus sniggering behind their hands.

"Sirius, cut that out." Lily said tiredly.

Lunch, or any other time where the boys met up with the girls, really, was always very tiring. She was always alert in case she'd had to duck.

And lunch was famous for its high probability of either ending up trying to run away from Sirius and James with food in their hands, or failing miserably at the running away bit and having to clean mashed potato out of your ears with a toothpick for the rest of the day just because they had managed to lure you into saying something you didn't want to say in the first place.

Sirius rolled his eyes and sat down next to Cathy. He eyed James for a moment before turning to face Cathy.

"Want to go to the ball with me?" they asked simultaniously.

They looked at each other, trying to process what the other had just said. Sirius let out a nervous chuckle and the others started to laugh loudly.

Cathy however broke into a wide smile.

"Well, I guess that's settled then!" she said merrily.

James smirked. "I'm not sure that went the way you planned, Padfoot."

Sirius just shook his head with a smile and then scooted a little closer to Cathy on the bench. Hermione watched the others laugh and felt like laughing too, but somehow she felt that this was only meant for them, for real friends, not for her.

Peter sat down next to her and took a sip from a goblet. "So now that Sirius has got a date, you can't stay behind, Prongs. Who are you taking?"

James' smile disappeared and he shot Peter a quick, but very annoyed, glance. He looked towards Sirius for help, but Sirius hadn't noticed as he was still laughing with Cathy.

James coughed. "...I'm...not sure.We'll see."

* * *

* * *

**Dead Red Head:** Thank you! I certainly will :D

**Mercutio:** Glad you liked it so much. But like I told you before...I'm not sure that it's going to stay this good till the end of the story. This isn't my best story in my opinion and you know that you and I sometimes differ in taste. Like those little stories I let you read. You preferred a different one than I did. But that's what makes it all fun, I suppose, people with different tastes talking about why something or other is better or not :P  
And don't you even dare try to break into my room, 'cause I'll know it was you. No one else in the house could care less about my fiction, so I'll always know who to blame ;)  
See you in five minutes :D

**Kerri:** Thank you :D I will update soon!

**Emma Barrows:** It's so much fun to see that you're still reading my stories! Thank you and I hope the story will live up to your expectations :)

**Gwynn-Potter:** Yeah camp was loads of fun. I really feel like I've made a lot of new friends. Glad you like the story!

**SoMe wEirDo:** I wouldn't dare not update after i started a story. When I start something, I intend to finish it.

**Tessa:** Well, that line 'sirius by name but not by nature' is really not original. So many other authors have used it in their stories and that's why I wasn't really happy with it myself. In order to make it less clichée, I made it a more sarcastic remark coming from Sirius instead as a serious comment. I know James fell fro hermione quite fast, but it's hard not to let that happen if you've got planned what yopu want to do. If it doesn't come along fast then there's nothing to write about. But I'm glad you like the story so much so far and I hope you will continue to like it straight to the end.

**RonluvHermione:** I'm glad to hear that you like my story even though it's about time traveling and you've laid those aside for a reason. Well, hope you'll keep reading it!

**XXRoseDawsonXX:** Wow, well writen? Always a welcome compliment ;) Hope you liked this update too.

**Olga de bont:** I'm glad that you think the characters are like they're discribed in the books. It's very hard to keep them that way. En over dat toneelstuk; Romeo en Julia is een heerlijk stuk, maar ik denk niet dat het leuk zou zijn voor mij om viool te moeten spelen aan de zijkant terwijl de spelgroepers het toneelstuk verkrachten met hun slechte acteerwerk. Als ik dan op een of andere manier mee zou moeten werken aan dat stuk dan zou ik mee willen acteren. Maar dat snap je wel he :D Maar zodra je weet wanneer de uitvoeringen zijn, mail me dan ff want ik wil NATUURLIJK komen kijken naar het stuk, en vooral naar hoe de pantarini's het niveau van de productie nog weten op te krikken. Doe iedereen de groetjes van me!

**Well, this was, I must admit, a very quick update. But I like updating soon. I just can't believe I'm getting so many reviews per chapter! It's really amazing :D Well, I have to go now. I still need to make myself some dinner. See you guys at the next chapter!**

**Love, Raven55**


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.

* * *

**- Chapter 5**

The peaceful silence of the common room was disturbed by a loud shriek from the girls' dormitory.

"He did what? Oh my god! I knew it!"

Emma was almost jumping up and down with excitement. Cathy grinned.

"Calm down. I asked him at the same time, you know."

"But the fact that he asked you of his own accord is a big achievement on its own." Lily said with a smile

Cathy blushed. Hermione sat a little bit away from them. This was not meant for her. This was a moment between friends. And thought they were very nice and friendly towards her, they weren't really friends with her yet.

Emma saw her sitting alone and joined her when she had calmed down a bit herself. "Are you okay?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I just don't know all the stories behind everything. I have no idea what the history between Sirius and Cathy is."

"Oh, that's easy. They've been flirting with each other for _ages_. They just never made a move on each other. But it's just a matter of time before they start dating. And that's just one of the stories. Look at Lily and James for instance. He's been chasing after her for what seems like forever. And then there's Susan and Jolyon Rivers, our Quidditch captain. They've been dating since third year."

Hermione looked at Lily while listening to the history of all the Gryffindors' love lives. Lily's red hair rippled gently as she shook her head in response to something Cathy said.

She turned around and gave Hermione and Emma a smile, her eyes sparkling like two emeralds. Those eyes made Hermione think about Harry again. But, she decided, it was not the time to think about Harry. He was more than twenty years ahead in time and she was here.

'Might as well focus on the here and now.' She thought.

She turned back to Emma.

"Em, could you tell me what everyone is so excited about? I heard some talk and all, what's this ball coming up?"

"It's a spring ball for seventh years. It's a small tradition every year and it's only a week away."

Hermione looked at Lily again. She figured that it was an important ball for couples yet to be. Well, every ball can be important for couples to be, but seeing as how James and Lily weren't going out yet, she figured that the spring ball was where their relationship had started...or where it was supposed to get started.

"So…does everybody have a date?" she asked.

Emma shook her head. "No…You don't…and Lily doesn't either. She's waiting for…well, you know what I mean. She's willing to accept his invitation, if he would just ask her nicely and not halfway through one of his acts…And I don't have a date yet. Hmm…perhaps Remus is still free."

At that moment Remus entered the common room and Emma excused herself quickly to run up to him.

Hermione got up and walked out the common room. She headed to the library. Maybe that would give her a bit more peace.

She walked through the corridors slowly when she heard a loud crash. She ran towards to origin of the sound to find the marauders, all looking rather surprised, soot all over their faces.

She looked at them, trying to suppress a giggle. They heard her and turned around.

"Oh, hey there Hermione. We were just trying out this little…project of our." Sirius said with a sly grin.

Peter nodded vigorously. "Yeah, we wanted to see if we could-"

"Wormtail! Don't go blowing the surprise!" James said quickly.

"Well," Hermoine said. "Whatever the surprise might be, you lot don't seem to be quite good at it yet. My advice is to keep practicing."

She turned away with a big smile on her face and waved at them over her shoulder.

"Bye guys!"

James followed her closely with his eyes until she had disappeared around the corner. Remus noticed it and bit his lip thoughtfully.

"Oi, Prongs! We're asking you something!" Sirius said with a bit of a laughing tone in his voice.

"…Oh…sorry. Lost my concentration for a moment there." James said apologetically.

Sirius laughed and smacked him in the back of the head.

"Never had you down for the 'at-first-sight' thing."

James shrugged. "Why not? Anyway, let's get back to our project again. Like she said 'let's keep practicing'."

Sirius and Peter quickly gathered their things and ran ahead. Remus waited until they were a bit away before talking to James.

"James…are you okay? Ever since she came along you've been a bit confused."

"Moony old friend, I don't know if I'm alright. I am confused, like you said. I think I like her."

"And Lily?"

"…I just don't know anymore, Moony. But can we please stop talking about it?"

Remus smiled a soft smile. "Sure Prongs. Let's catch up with Sirius and Peter before they blow up the great hall in all their enthusiasm."

When peace finally returned to the corridor, the little broom closet opened and Susan stepped out, looking a bit confused. She waited, looking about, not knowing what to do.

Then she ran up towards the Gryffindor tower to tell the others what she had just heard.

* * *

"Miss Granger? Do you have a moment?"

The voice of Dumbledore surprised her. She nodded and followed the Headmaster out the library.

"You see." He said. "I've assigned some of my best staff to solve the matter. I know that our Potions Master will succeed eventually, but even with his help there has been slow progress so far. This magic is very powerful, much stronger than I anticipated. So it would be wise to pretend you're here to stay for a little while longer."

She nodded, saddened by this news. She had been looking forward so much to returning back home.

"So I hope you will participate in our spring ball. It would certainly create the impression you've been an accepted transfer student."

She nodded again. "Yes professor. I will."

* * *

Susan reached the common room. She had walked over there quickly, but not fast enough to beat the boys in reaching it.

She motioned Lily and Cathy to go up to their dormitory and then turned around to find Emma.

Emma was sitting on the couch, listening to Remus. Both had a very happy smile on their face so Susan assumed they had decided to go to the ball together, both happy they didn't need to go alone.

"Emma, sorry to disturb this lovely get-together with Remus, but we've got an emergency discussion upstairs." She whispered in her ear.

Then she turned towards Remus.

"Sorry to take this lovely girl away from you for a moment, but I need her and you'll survive a few moments without her, won't you. You're a big boy now." She added teasingly.

Then she took Emma's hand and dragged her up the stairs. Lily and Cathy were already waiting for them.

"What's the emergency?" Cathy asked curiously.

"I was walking through the charms corridor, when I heard James and the guys behind me. I quickly hid in one of the broomcubboards so theywouldn't involve me in what ever prank they were pulling...and then..."

"Susan, hurry up. We've got Potions in a few minutes and you know how Sloghorn hates it of we're late." Emma said impatiently.

Lily…James isn't thinking about asking you to the ball anymore." Susan said directly, facing Lily. "I heard him talking to Remus…she had walked by and after that he wasn't concentrated on the prank they were pulling and then Sirius said 'Never had you down for the 'at-the-first-sight' thing' and James didn't deny it."

Lily didn't answer. She already knew who Susan had meant by 'she'. It had been a bit obvious to her too how James had been interested in Hermione straight from the start. She just hadn't thought it would actually come this far.

"And then he talked to Remus and he was suddenly very serious. He said he was really confused and that he didn't know what to do anymore. Then he didn't want to talk about it anymore." Susan finished.

Lily stared at her hands. Why had James chased after her for so long, trying to persuade her into dating him, if he would let himself be confused by the next girl that passed by.

Did she really mean that little to him? She thought there had been a certain understanding between them, but perhaps she had read too much into his behaviour to her. She suddenly felt really small. She had been so convinced that James actually liked her.

'I guess I was wrong…' she thought sadly. 'I guess he's not the person I thought he was…I suppose I'm better off then anyway, if he let's himself get confused that easily.'

"Well, that's it then." Cathy said bluntly. "That just proves that James Potter is simply an indecent guy who'll go out with every bit of skirt that passes by. "You're better off without him if he's that kind of jerk."

"No!" Lily shouted suddenly. "No, James isn't like that…we've known him for so long and he's never been that kind of guy. Cocky, yes, but not someone who acts like this. Not when it comes to emotions, right?"

"I don't know Lily…I don't know…"

"Maybe he got tired of you blowing him off all the time." Emma said. "You said no to him every single time he asked you. You never said 'maybe' or even considered going out with him."

"I did! I did think about going out with him!" she stuttered.

"Yes, sweetie. _We_ know that. But he doesn't because you never let him know you were considering it. Perhaps he just wanted someone who'd say 'yes'."

Lily looked at her, a slight look of panic in her eyes.

"You think? But…but…I know I always blow him off. It's because of the _way_ he always asks me. And he knows I like him, doesn't he? And he also knows that I'd go out with him if he'd just ask me normally without making a spectacle of the whole thing." She said desperately.

But Cathy wasn't about to give up. "You're not letting James get away! Not after all those years. There's only one option left. Make him jealous."

"Yeah!" Susan said enthusiastically. "Take someone else to the ball."

"How about that Harry Stafford guy?" Emma opted.

But Cathy and Susan shook their heads.

"No…Harry's a nice guy if you like that type of guy. But if you want to make James Potter jealous then you need to choose someone with a little more presence…someone a tad bit more popular and handsome…" Susan said slowly.

"I know! Why not try Steven Moore! He's one of our beaters, that's _bound_ to make James furious with jealousy." Cathy shouted triumphantly.

"It would sure make James' eyes pop out of their sockets." Susan agreed.

"I still can't believe is that James would give up so easily…" Emma muttered. "I can't believe he wants to take Hermione even though he doesn't really know her at all."

"You can't blame her, though.' Lily said quickly. "She doesn't really know what kind of…understanding James and I had. She doesn't know how we-"

She interrupted herself and stood up.

"You girls are right. I'm not going to let him do this and not get back at him. I'll go and ask Steven right now. James will _have_ to realise what an idiot he has been when he sees me and Steven."

She ran down the stairs and went to find Steven Moore.

"You know…" Cathy said. "I feel sorry for Steven. Lily is just going to use him."

"You know what I think?" Emma said lazily. "I think James is a fool, but not the way you two are thinking right now. He might think he likes Hermione, but really…he's in love with Lily, you can tell. He has been for years, but he's too scared to admit it."

"So what you're saying…" Susan said slowly, putting the pieces together, "is that James is using Hermione as a way of not having to admit he loves Lily? So both Hermione and Steven are going to be used just because Lily and James can't face up to their feelings?"

Emma nodded and fell back on her bed.

Cathy laughed out loud. "You two should become therapists or something! How on earth did you get the brains to figure that one out?"

"No…it has nothing to do with us being ever so clever, though that is also a lovely bit of purest truth." Emma said with a big smile. "It has more to do with how obvious James and Lily are. They're just both too blind to see it. But if you ask me, Lily and James…they're destined to be together."

* * *

* * *

**Well, tomorrow I'll have my first real day as a student. I'm rather curious to see what this university has in store for me :P So I'm not sure if the next update will be quite as quick as this one, but it will be there, don't you worry about that.**

**Gwynn-Potter:** I'm sorry Gwynn, but Remus is going with Emma. I like him too much to let him go to a dance without a date. Wouldn't you hate to go alone while everyone around you has a date? Kind of like sitting at the side of the dancefloor, waiting for someone to ask you to dance but it never happens. Ugh, that really sucks. So no, Remus will have a date. But only because you can't be there to be his date, how about that?

**Mercutio:** I know you left a review, because you told me so yesterday. But I think something must've gone wrong, because i still haven't received it. Oh well, never mind. I know what you think of the last chapter and yes, it was more a chapter to show james' insecurity and to build up to the more important bits in the story. Anyway, I'm sure the next review will come through fine. (Now you _have_ to leave one, because I'm counting on one :P) See you tonight, probably!

**Emma Barrows:** Glad you like it nn See you at the next chapter!

**Lucerito-del-alba:** Yeah, poor Lily! I agree. I'm not sure about the 'making james jealous' bit, but it's one way for her to show she's not a helpless girl who has succumbed to the potter charm. Because the whole thing about lily is that she is a strong person and if I let her do nothing and cry a bit, I'd underestimate her and then her whole character would change. Anyway, I'll certainly be checking your update.  
By the way, your story concerns Gandalf stepping into the HP world, does it not? Well, who nplays Gandalf in the movies? Sir Ian McKellan. And gues swho's going to play Barty Crouch in the fourth HP movie? YES! So I now suspect you have some sort of hidden power, some sort of sixth sense, only without the dead people bit. See you soon!

**Dead Red Head:** You really hate Lily and Ginny that much? Hmm, I think Ginny is my favourite character in the whole series. Because we got to witness her evolution from a shy and silent girl, to a girl who kows how to pack a punch, a girl who is rather attractive and who has inherited her sense of jokes and advernture from her twin brothers. I think she is one of the most complex characters Rowling wrote. But then again, to each his own. I'm not trying to persuade you into liking her. I'm just happy you love the story so much! (And yes, James and Hermione are cute)

**XXRoseDawsonXX:** Hmm, I wonder how you liked this reaction from Lily to James. I myself think it's a bit clichée, but that's always up to the one reading it, not to the writer. Everyone interprets something a different way. Anyway, glad you like the story and I hope to see you at the enxt chapter as well.

**Thanks for the reviews everyone! That's 37 (or 38 if you count an unreceived review) for just four chapters! I can be more than happy with that. See you all at the next chapter!**

**Love, Raven55**


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.

* * *

**- Chapter 6**

"Potter! When I say Wronski Feint I mean Wronski Feint! Not a Tantalus Dive. Will you focus already?" Shouted Jolyon Rivers, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team across the pitch.

"Yeah, yeah…" James muttered bored.

Sirius flew over to him. "What's the matter? You seem a little…off."

James sighed.

"It's just…I like Hermione, okay. But I don't know anything about her. I was thinking about when to ask her to be my date to the ball and then I though 'Wait, I like her, but just not that much…' I like her, but not as much as I do Lily…And why would I pass up a date with Lily for one with Hermione if I believe that I really…" he swallowed difficultly. "…if I believe that I really love Lily."

Sirius smirked. "Finally came to your senses? Good decision, you know. Moony and Wormtail agreed with me on that too. We all thought you were being a little weird about the whole thing. It's really obvious you like Lily…we were all just waiting for you to admit it."

James didn't know where to look. His friends had all known and they had never told him they knew. He wanted to think they were mean to do that, but he had to admit that it was funny after all. He would have done the same thing…heck he _had_ done the same thing with Sirius and Cathy.

"Hey look!" Sirius said suddenly, pointing at the field below. "Look who's here to cheer you on!"

A girl with red hair was walking on the grass below.

"Okay guys! Let's call it a day. Same time next Tuesday!" Jolyon shouted to the others.

James pulled into a dive and flew down to meet Lily.

"Hey there." He said merrily.

Lily nodded in his direction vaguely, staring up at the sky.

"Oh…hi…Have you seen Steven?"

"Yeah…he's still up there…Why?"

She shrugged. "Oh, nothing. I just wanted to ask him something about Saturday."

James looked at her curiously. "Saturday? But, the ball's then."

"Yes, I'm aware of that, James."

"Are you telling me that Moore is taking you to the ball!"

Lily nodded. "Yes. Steven actually asked me in a _normal_ way. Something you never succeeded to do. Now, if you'll please excuse me…"

She walked off past James, leaving him looking thunderstruck. He got off his broom confused.

Sirius saw his face. "Ah…I guess that didn't go the way you were hoping…"

"She's going with Moore…she's not going with me but with Steven Moore…"

Sirius bit his lip. "But…I thought she fancied you too! Cathy assured me Lily fancied you!"

"Well…I guess Cathy had it wrong. Let's just go, okay?"

James quickly made his way towards the broomshed. Sirius followed him slowly, shaking his head confused.

* * *

"You know…there is still something you can do about it." Sirius said as they were discussing the problem with Peter and Remus in their dormitory. 

The other three looked at him.

"Sirius…don't go suggesting what I think is in your head right now…" Remus said warningly.

"You can still ask Hermione to go with you! That's what you planned on doing anyway." Sirius continued.

James looked at the ceiling. "I suppose…but I don't really want to go with her…I _want_ to go with Lily."

"But you don't want to show up alone, do you? Not when Lily's going with Moore."

Remus threw Sirius a warning glance, but Sirius didn't see.

James ignored Sirius' comment. "Every time I see her I feel…not that I want to sound corny…But I really feel strange. Here."

He placed his hand on his stomach to show the others what he meant.

"But if any of you ever, _ever_, tell anyone I said that I'll rip your heart out of your chest and use it as an inkwell."

Sirius smirked. "Oh dear, boys. I think he's a little out of shape. Your threats are a little more aggressive than usual, Prongs. Whatever happened to the nice old plastering a picture of one of us with very embarrassing pairs of underwear over our trousers like you did last year?"

Peter laughed. "I remember that! I actually thought it was funny…"

Remus sighed. "The whole school thought it was funny Wormtail…it was _you_ they saw I that picture."

Peter blushed and looked at the floor. "Oh yeah….I forgot about that…"

"What did he do to deserve that anyway…?" Sirius wondered softly.

"Can't remember." James said flatly.

Remus looked at Sirius and gave him a look that told him to be silent. Sirius nodded, knowing Remus was better at things like this.

"Listen, James. It was obvious to all of us that you liked her, it was obvious to Cathy, Susan and Emma too. Don't you think Lily might have noticed it too if all of us did? If you love her, then why don't you just tell her."

"Because she's going with Steven bloody Moore! That's why!"

Sirius sat down and pondered the matter silently for a moment.

"You know…maybe…maybe Lily _didn't_ get the message like we all did…You have to show her you really like her. Why don't you-"

"No, Padfoot!" Peter shouted quickly. "Not one of your crazy schemes again. You know they always end up with Lily wanting to blow us up."

"That's true." Remus said. "And that's the last thing we need to get Lily to want to do right now."

"Okay then…" Sirius said. "The why don't you try and make her jealous instead?"

James turned on his side to look at him. "What?"

Sirius gave him a triumphant smile. "It's the perfect plan! You ask Hermione and then when you show up with her, Lily will realise it's you she fancies, not the Beater guy. She'll get jealous the moment she sees you with her! It's foolproof."

Remus looked away and muttered "Famous last words..." under his breath

But James didn't hear him and his face lightened. "…You think? Sounds like a plan, Padfoot old boy! You know what? I'll go ask Hermione right now. She's a nice girl, she'll understand!"

He jumped up and ran down the stairs to find her.

* * *

He saw her at a table in the library. He quickly made his way over to her and sat down next to her. 

"Hey Hermione." He said.

She didn't look up from her book.

"Hey Harry." She replied happily.

James gave her a strange stare. "Harry? Harry Stafford?"

Hermione looked up and clasped her hand to her mouth as she realised what she had just said.

"Oh, no, no…It's, err, sorry James. I was a bit confused, you sound and look exactly the same like a boy I know…back home…"

James nodded understandingly. "Ah, your boyfriend."

He tried to get up but she grasped his hand.

"No…not my boyfriend…"she said, blushing furiously as she tried to imagine herself and Harry as a couple. "I don't have a boyfriend…He's just my friend and I miss him."

James sat down again. They looked at the table in silence until James cleared his throat.

"Listen…would this friend back home mind terribly if…There's a ball coming up soon, you might have heard. I don't have a date yet and I thought you didn't either because you're new here, so…Would your friend mind if I asked you to go with me?"

She broke into a smile. "No, he wouldn't! And neither would I. I'd love to."

She was happy for a moment but then remembered what Emma had told her about Lily and James. They still weren't together, even though they obviously loved each other. Then, why didn't he ask Lily out to the ball?

"Wait…what about Lily? Aren't the two of you…sort of…"

"She's going with someone else." James said sourly.

Hermione bit her lip. This wasn't good. If Lily and James still weren't together, then when would it happen? She knew they ended up dating at school, but if they didn't hurry up, then there wouldn't be much of schooltime left to date in.

And if they didn't get together during Hogwarts time, then they would drift apart when the time came to go to different wizarding universities. It was what she had been afraid of too, with Harry.

She gasped. Harry!

If Lily and James didn't get to date, then they would never get married…and that would mean…

No, she couldn't let it get to that. She'd have to talk to both of them to put things right.

"Alright then, James. I'll go with you. But…I'll have to go and get some dressrobes from somewhere…I forgot to bring any…"

She got up hastily and gave James a peck on his cheek with another word of thanks.

"Thank you, James. It's really sweet of you to ask me."

Then she quickly went up to the common room. She found the girls there, looking a bit happier than they had done that morning.

"Hello." She said as she sat down with them.

She wanted to talk to Emma, or anyone of them, really. Just as long as Lily wasn't there to hear it.

She sat down next to Susan and looked at them. "What made you four smile so much?"

Emma giggled. "Oh, nothing much…just a plan of ours is working…"

Hermione raised her eyebrow. She was about to ask what plan they were on about, but the portrait hole opened and Sirius came in with Jolyon Rivers. Cathy got to her feet to join them and so did Susan.

"Hey Evans!" Jolyon shouted. "Steven's outside waiting for you."

Lily sighed and left through the portrait hole. Finally Emma remained for Hermione to talk to.

"Emma…what was that plan you guys were talking about?"

"Oh, that. Lily heard from Susan that James was going to take…another girl to the ball instead of her. So we set her up with Steven Moore to make him jealous. It's a wake up call for him to realise he wants to go out with her and not with…"

"Not with me." Hermione finished her sentence for her.

Emma looked embarrassed but Hermione shook her head.

"No, it's okay. Actually, I'm glad you did all of this. So…you set Lily up to make James jealous because he said he wanted to take me, not her…clever plan. James thinks she really wants to go with this other guy, you know."

Emma clapped her hands in delight. "Really? Wow, it's working better than I thought!"

"So Lily really wanted to go with James, didn't she." Hermione said.

Emma nodded. "She's really fond of him, if you catch my drift."

Hermione nodded too. Even though this was all going terribly wrong, she could see a hint of light at the end of the tunnel.

"So basically it's like this; James wanted to go with Lily and vice versa, but James messed up and Lily asked another person to make him jealous. Now James asked me to make _her_ jealous." Hermione said quietly, putting the pieces together."

"Both of them got other dates because they wanted to go with each other!" Emma said beaming.

This was wonderful. In the end everything would work out perfectly…if they just wouldn't be too stubborn to see what they both actually wanted.

Hermione smiled softly. She would just have to help them along a bit. Just to make sure everything would work out.

"Emma, this plan is perfect. I'm sure that it will work. It has to…because if you ask me, Lily and James are meant to be together."

She recalled an image of Harry for a second and quickly dismissed it again before she got homesick.

Emma smiled. "I know! I think so too. But now….do you have any dressrobes? You can't show up at a ball with James Potter without proper dressrobes. We want to make Lily jealous, remember?"

Hermione shook her head.

"I don't have any. That's part of the reason why I came up here in such a hurry. I forgot to pack them…" she lied quickly.

"Come on then. I'm sure I have a spare set of dressrobes somewhere that'll fit you. And if none of them do, then we'll just have to alter them a bit." Emma said, twirling her wand.

She took Hermione's hand and dragged her up the stairs, into the dormitory.

"You've got to look absolutely stunning if you want to show up with James. We really want the jealousy to kick in on both sides…"

Hermione laughed and allowed herself to be pushed down onto the bed as Emma rummaged around in her trunk.

"Oh…so much to do...so little time…" she heard Emma say.

"Emma…we've still got two days, you know…"

"Exactly! So little time!"

* * *

* * *

**I don't have much time today, so here goes:**

**Dead Red Head:** Hmm...I still stick with my opinion of Ginny. I like her :) Anyway, as long as you like this story (that btw doesn't include ginny at all) then everything's okay :D

**Emma Barrows:** Thank you! Hope you liked this chapter too, I think it's one of the better ones personally, but some people always seem to think the exact oposite of what I think so you never know.

**Lucerito-del-alba:** I hope that Jame's logic is a bit more explained in this chapter. And I hope it's a bit more easy to believe. Anyway, glad you like it. I'm going to send you a lengthy email when I have the time, so you're sure to hear from me REALLY SOON.

**Olga de Bont:** haha, mail maar ja :P want ik wil t echt wel zien :D And yes, James and the Marauders CAN talk like normal human beings once in a while. Glad to hear you still like it.

**Pottersgirl91:** Well, yes, I'll be sure to update soon again!

**Gwynn-Potter:** I'm not letting anything on about the ending. And I think I explained James' reaction and why he is taking Hermione instead of Lily in this chapter. See you at the next one!

**XXRoseDawsonXX:** I agree, sometimes a bit of clichée can make a story just that bit more fun. Well, college was great, but it doesn't really strart till monday, so I'll be able to tell you more soon enough. Thanks for the review :)

**Mercutio:** Yup, we're getting there :D And I _did_ get this review. So i'm guessing you used your home computer this time, not the one from work. Oh, wait, you just told me you sent this a few minutes ago, so I'm actually sure you used your own computer. Okay, I'm not all there today :D :P Well, see you tonight or tomorrow! Veel plezier met tappen :D

**Well guys, see you all at the next chapter. **

**Love, raven55**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.

* * *

**- Chapter 7**

"Miss Granger. I have good news for you. Professor Slughorn has been able to make a potion that will guarantee your safe return to your own time. It just needs to simmer for another few hours." Professor Dumbledore said as he looked at her from his side of his desk.

Hermione's eyes lit up. "Really? That's wonderful! Thank you so much, professor!"

"Yes. We can have you on your way tonight, I think."

She broke into a huge smile at the thought of seeing Harry and Ron again. She wondered what to tell them when they would ask her where she had been all this time.

But she knew she couldn't leave just now. She had something to put right which she suspected had gone wrong only because she had accidentally appeared here.

"Thank you, sir, for putting so much time and effort into helping me as soon as possible. But there is something I must do before I can leave. It's sort of…a mission I have to complete, otherwise my future might end up frightfully different from what I'm used to…"

Dumbledore nodded. "I understand completely, miss Granger. Does this mission, by any chance, involve miss Evans and mister Potter?"

She looked at him surprised, but when she saw that knowing twinkle in his eyes she relaxed again. She smiled.

"It does, sir. It does."

* * *

James, Sirius and Remus were leaning against the side of the stairs, waiting for the girls to come down. Steven and Jolyon sat on the first two steps. James gave Steven a cold stare, but he didn't notice. 

"Blimey, do they always take this long?" Remus asked exasperated.

At that moment a door at the top of the stairs opened and all five boys snapped up to see who were coming down.

Emma was dressed in pearly white dressrobes. She took Remus' hand and they took off though the portrait hole. Lily followed, wearing ocean blue dressrobes and feathers in her hair.

James looked at her, her appearance even more stunning than usual. But Lily, after giving him just a quick glance, ignored him and walked off through the portrait hole with Steven.

James followed them closely with his eyes as they left, but snapped up when Sirius nudged him in the ribs with his elbow. Hermione stood in front of him wearing deep purple dressrobes she had borrowed from Emma.

"Ready to go?" she asked him.

He smiled, knowing he should have been the one to ask that, not the other way round, and quickly offered her his arm. To his relief Hermione beamed as she took his arm and he smiled at her.

They walked to the great hall. It had been richly decorated and charmed, so it would look as if the hall was crowded even though only the seventh years had been invited. Hermione felt at eas in this relaxed atmosphere.

"Want a drink before we dance?" James asked her.

She nodded and made her way over to a small table where she waited for James to return. Lily sat down next to her.

"Where's your date? Left you already?" She asked casually. "I could have told you he would do that, James can be such-"

"Lily, stop." Hermione said suddenly. "I know you only asked Steven to the ball because you wanted to make James jealous. It's working, you know. He keeps looking at you all the time. Just you wait, he'll ask you to go out with him any moment if you'd just give him the chance."

Lily looked at Hermione. "…You think?"

Hermione nodded. She looked back at Lily and again those emerald eyes made her think about Harry…so many years ahead.

"…I don't think, Lily. I know…" She said softly. "You two are meant to be together."

She had to shake her head to make Harry's face leave her mind.

"Here he comes." Lily whispered suddenly.

James came back with two drinks. "Here you go, Hermione."

He didn't look at Lily as he handed Hermione her drink. But before she could take her glass from him he put both of the glasses down on the table and pulled her up from her seat.

"Come on, let's dance."

Hermione allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor while he ignored Lily's presence completely.

But when they were dancing, Hermione noticed how hard James found it to keep up ignoring Lily. He tried to peek a glance at her whenever he thought Hermione wouldn't notice.

This made Hermione chuckle lightly and she enjoyed dancing with him even more because of it. Again she noticed James' eyes searching for the spot where he had last seen Lily dancing with Steven. She wanted to let out another soft chuckle, but suddenly felt a surge of loneliness.

Lily and James would end up together, no doubt about that. They loved each other. But would there be a happy ending like that for her too? She felt lonely knowing that there was no one waiting for her at home to kiss her and to hold her when she finally returned.

"Hermione? Are you okay?"

"Yes…yes Harry, I'm fine…"

"Harry? You're confusing me with that friend of yours again." James said, looking a bit suspicious.

"Oh…James. James, I'm sorry." She said once she realised what she had said. "But you really do look so much like him."

'More than you can imagine….' She added to herself.

"Listen, don't be so down. I'm sure this Harry guys misses you too. Hey, don't cry…"

James suddenly saw that her eyes were glittering with small tears.

"Come here…" he said bracingly as he wrapped a comforting arm around her.

She threw her arms around him to return the hug. She finally realised exactly _how_ lonely she really felt.

He kissed her cheek and dried her face with the end of his sleeve. "Come, let's sit down for a while, okay?"

"No…no, let's dance." She said, biting her lip to force back the sad feeling inside her. "It's a ball, remember. It's supposed to be fun."

She smiled at him.

"Okay, if you want to. Then let's dance." He said smiling, relieved to see that she was okay.

A loud laugh behind them made them look up. Lily and Steven were laughing merrily and danced as a new tune was started by the band. James threw her an angry look but Lily simply looked back at him with the same anger before returning to Steven again.

"James, she really likes you, you know." Hermione said.

But James continued looking angry. "If she did then she wouldn't be flirting with Moore like that."

"May I have your attention please." Dumbledore said suddenly, making everyone in the hall look up.

He smiled at them politely.

"I'd like to wish every one of you a very good night's sleep and a very nice trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow. But first, enjoy this last dance to the fullest!"

Everyone applauded and quickly got to their feet to make the most of the time that was left. James and Hermione also danced and she enjoyed it even more than she had done a few minutes before.

She felt Lily's angry eyes burning in her back, but she didn't feel bad about that. It made her feel satisfied that at last Lily was also realising how she wanted it to be _her_ who was dancing with James.

When the music ended, the hall slowly emptied. Hermione, red in the face from all this dancing, took James' arm again as he escorted her to the common room.

"Thank you for taking me James, I had a lovely time." She said as they reached the portrait hole.

He noticed that she had a smile on her face he hadn't seen before. It really sparkled with happiness.

"Thank you too. I had a great time as well."

"Listen…I'm going back to where I come from, in a few days. Well, tomorrow, really." She said slowly.

"Oh…"

He bit his lip. He liked her, she had the right attitude to become a marauder, though perhaps she was still a bit too set on rules. But he felt sorry that she would leave again so soon, just when she had made friends with everyone.

"Will you come to Hogsmeade with us tomorrow, as a last day with everyone? They'd hate it if you left without telling them. And…I'm sure everyone would like to spend another day with you."

She nodded. "Yes, alright. I'm going to bed now, but I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Sleep well. Goodnight, Hermione."

* * *

"I'll take you up to the common room." Steven said as he took Lily's hand and walked with her through the corridors. 

They finally reached the portrait hole, but the Fat Lady was asleep. No surprise, they had been the last to leave the great hall. They had done that on purpose. Lily, because she wanted to avoid seeing James kissing Hermione goodnight. Steven, because he had been hoping to spend a little more time with his date.

'Stupid James.' Lily thought angrily.

She recalled a picture of that evening of James kissing Hermione on her cheek. How could he? And she was sure that he and Hermione were doing a lot more than just a kiss on the cheek to say goodnight. The last thing she wanted to witness was those two eating each others' face.

She was so wrapped up in being angry at James that she barely noticed how Steven had taken her hand and was leading her a small way away from the portrait hole.

He looked into her eyes.

"Lily, you look really pretty tonight." He said shyly. "Well, not just tonight, you're always pretty, but tonight especially."

He began to stutter when he realised he was sounding like an idiot. She only noticed he was talking to her when she heard him struggle with his words.

"Huh? Were you saying something, Steven? I'm sorry, I wasn't listening."

He now took her hand in both of his own. "That's alright, Lily. You don't have to listen, because…"

He stepped in, bringing his face closer to hers. He was going to kiss her, she suddenly realised.

"No!" she jumped back.

Steven looked hurt and confused. "What's wrong?"

He looked at her curiously and took her hand again.

"Nothing…it's just…I do like you, Steven. But not that way. You're a really sweet guy, but nothing more than a friend to me. I'm sorry."

He released her hand and stepped back. "Oh…I see…well, goodnight, then."

He woke the Fat Lady and stepped aside to let Lily through. She felt mean about the way she had used Steven. But she was glad to find the common room empty.

Quickly she went up to the girls' dormitory. There, Cathy, Emma and Susan were still up, waiting for her to return. They were discussing that night's events and Cathy looked particularly over the moon with happiness.

"What are you so happy about?" she asked.

Cathy smiled. "Oh, nothing much…I just had a lot of fun dancing, and Sirius asked me to be his _girlfriend_!"

"Oh my god! Cathy! Congratulations!" Lily hugged her friend tightly.

"How did things go for you tonight, then?" the others asked her.

Lily glanced at Hermione, who was fast asleep in her bed.

"It's okay, she's asleep." Susan assured Lily.

"Well, alright then…I don't think James even noticed me tonight! He looked at Hermione all evening and he kissed her! On her cheek, just like that!"

"But he does that with a lot of girls. You know that, don't you. Remember when you got that letter about Petunia being ill? He comforted you like that too. And when my cat died, he did the same. It's a friendly gesture for when someone feels down." Emma said matter-of-factly.

"She seemed pretty happy to me." Lily said sourly. "And that's not all of it. Steven tried to kiss me just now. He thought I fancied him."

She threw Emma a nasty look as the girl lapsed into a fit of giggles.

"Sorry, Lily. But that's really funny. That's what you get for using a boy like that." Emma retorted, trying to stop giggling.

"I suppose…but what about her, then?" Lily went on, nodding at Hermione. "One minute she assures me James likes me and that he'll ask me out, next minute she allows him to flirt with her. And she threw her arms around him as if he was her only hope in the middle of the dance floor. I saw that, you know."

Susan shook her head. "Lily, you're not a very nice person when jealousy kicks in, you know that? I'm sure Hermione and James are just friends. I mean, it's not like she mentions _him_ in her sleep."

"What?"

Susan laughed softly. "Oh, she keeps mentioning two boys. Some Harry and Ron. But Harry the most, to be honest. We kept count."

Lily laughed quietly.

"You don't suppose she means Harry Stafford, do you?" Emma wondered.

"No, I don't think so…they must be friends back home…" Cathy said.

"I just don't understand James…" Lily started again. "I hate him. How can he be so thoughtless and mean to me?"

"Lily…"

Lily got up. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

And with one determined jerk she closed the hangings of her bed.

Cathy rolled her eyes. "Good god. She's so stubborn."

Susan and Emma nodded agreeing as they crawled under their own sheets.

* * *

**

* * *

****Ah, there we go. I just had my very first day of college. It was really interesting. It was a course called 'the encyclopedie of the science of law', roughly translated. But then I had to read 48 pages for a different course and it was SO boring...I hope the actuall class tomorrow will be more interesting.**

**Emma Barrows:** Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long ;)

**XXRoseDawsonXX:** Well, for me there was only one option, you see. To make it all work. I'm not a great fan of fics in which the history of the MWPP era is changed too much, like, for example, one of the chief characters dying or james and lily not falling in love. Unless the story is well written, I won't read it if it's like that. So for me there really only has been one option, to make james and lily get together in the end. I mean, how else would harry ever be born? Anyway, you'll see how it all turns out.

**40/16:** yeah, I think it's BECAUSE there is still so much we don't know about the marauders that people like me write their own story for them. There's still so much mysetery about them and we have this urge to find out more about them. And seeing as how JK still hasn't told us a whole lot more (though I must say I do like it that way) we make up our own idea of what the marauders were like and what happened in their later years.

**KaraLea:** Glad you like it :D Hope this met your expectations :)

**Kerri:** well, it started out as a James/hermione fic partly. But when I was writing it it changed and changed more. And before I knew it it was another idealistic fic about how lily and james mihgt or might not get together.

**Randypotter1222:** I'm flattered that you think I have portrayed James well. He is a very difficult character and, like 40/16 said, there is a very limited amount of knowledge we can get about the marauders and how they acted. No, I'm not putting in Slytherines. Somehow I didn't really put in any people from other houses. I guess I forgot about them ;)

**Olga de Bont:** great! I know I'll see you at the next chapter then! Oh, en ik kreeg gisteren een telefoontje van Cees. Ik moet zaterdag 5 november auditie doen voor het HWSO. Ik vertel je de uitslag nog wel als ik die heb :P En hij zei ook dat de pantarini's hoopvol begonnen zijn :D (dus da's een complimentje voor jullie!)

**Mercutio:** hehe, i couldn't leave dear Slughorn out of this, could I? No, when you asked me if i was going to put any teachers in, I thought 'Shit! I forgot to mention teachers!' so I quickly slipped Slughorn and McGonagall in there. How I could have ever forgotten about them, eh ;) Yes, there were only 2 chapters left, and now there is only one to go. So stay tuned and be warned. The ending might be too fluffy for you to handle. (It even has me on the edge of maybe throwing up) Oh well, all ion due time. Be sure to tell me what you think! See you tonight.

**Tessa:** Wieeh :D You like Emma, Cathy and Susan? Woohoo! (A triumph!) And i'm going to let you in on a little secret about how I manage ti update so quick with such long chapters: I write them first by hand, then I type every single one of them and THEN I start posting them. I like quick updates myself and I want to update as soon as possible. And i can't have the pressure of needing to finish a chapter in a certain period of time. I feel it takes a lot of potential out of a story. Sometimes I add something to one fo the very first chapters when i'm nearly at the end, just to make sure something is put into the story with credibility. So...first finish the story, typed and all, and then I post. Sneaky, isnt it ;)

**Well, only one more chapter to go. Feel the tention! (laughs sarcastically) I'm going to have a quick snack now, 'cause I'm starving and then I will update soon after I've read all of your lovely reviews. So just click-clickity-click on that little blue button at the bottom of the page and let me know what you think! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you at the enxt one!**

**Love, Raven55**


	8. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.

* * *

**- Chapter 8**

"Oi! Lazy bones! It's half past eleven!"

Sirius poked James with his wand, but James didn't wake up.

Remus shoved something into his hands. A wet towel. Sirius grinned evilly.

"Moony, you sly devil."

Three, two, one…

"_Argh!_ What? Huh? Who- Padfoot!" James bellowed.

"You are such a lazy prat." Sirius said simply.

Remus grinned. "It's a Hogsmeade day and you're still in bed?"

"How did things go yesterday?" Sirius asked.

James groaned. "Ungh…don't ask. She didn't look at me once, well, once but she glared angrily at me that time. She had a _wonderful_ time with Steven Moore, I'm sure."

He sighed.

"I'm going to take a shower."

Before he had closed the door behind him, something did a little pirouette in his mind, making him pause.

"Before I forget…How did things go with Cathy?"

Sirius beamed. But before he could say anything, Peter popped up out of nowhere.

"She said yes." He said quickly, making Sirius glare at him.

James smiled. "Good. Glad at least one of us is having a bit of luck."

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes. It was light inside the dormitory. The other girls weren't there, but she found a note on her bedside table.

'_We went down to breakfast. See you in Hogsmeade.'_

"So much for a friendly wake up call." She muttered darkly.

She got up and walked towards the shower when she suddenly understood. Lily had seen her and James and now she was thinking the wrong things.

She let out a moan. How was she going to put things right between them if they kept interpreting things the wrong way!

"I've _got_ to talk to her today…I _have _to put it right!"

* * *

The Marauders made their way down to the great hall. They noticed the girls sitting at the table and walked over to join them.

"Hey sweetheart." Sirius sat down next to Cathy and kissed her.

James took a deep breath, determined to talk to Lily. He had to tell her he liked her before he'd explode either with anger or with cropped up emotions.

"Hi Lily." He said bravely. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

But Lily stood up and grabbed her bag. The others followed her example. Cathy smiled at Sirius apologetically but followed the others as well.

"Goodbye, James." Lily said coldly.

He watched the girls disappear around the corner.

He sat down dejectedly. Not even when he had been prepared to tell Lily everything that went on inside his head did she give him the time of day.

"I don't know what you did last night, Prongs. But I think you screwed up." Sirius said quietly.

* * *

Hermione heard voices in the common room as she walked down the stairs from the dormitory. She waited at the bottom step for a while to listen to what they were saying.

"Lily, I think you overreacted. He just kissed her on the cheek."

"I know…I know, okay? And I feel stupid enough about what I did this morning. But I just get angry when I see him _because _I like him. And I can't help thinking he likes _her_ more than me and that's why I get so defensive."

"You're scared, aren't you?"

Lily hummed in agreement. Hermione didn't want to listen to more. She knew enough. The plan had worked, because they now both realised how much they liked each other. All she had to do now was talk to Lily so she could get them together and then she could finally go home.

"Good morning!" she said merrily as she stepped inside.

"Oh…Hey Hermione. Sleep well?" Lily asked her.

"Er…yes, very well, thank you."

"Who's Harry?" Emma suddenly asked.

Hermione blushed.

"What do you mean?" she stuttered.

"You talk in your sleep. You mentioned his name a few times."

"Nine times, actually." Susan whispered to Cathy with a smile without letting Hermione hear.

Hermione now blushed even more. She had had no idea she talked in her sleep. She vaguely wondered what Lavender and Parvati could have heard over the years.

"He's…a friend. A friend back home…"

Lily looked pensive. "…Harry…I like that name. It's got a ring to it."

Hermione looked at her hands. "Listen…now that my home has been brought up, there's something I'd like you all to know. This is my last day here. I'm going back home."

The girls looked back at her surprised. "Home? Stone Ridge?"

"Let's just stick with home." Hermione muttered.

Lily's expression softened. "We're going to Hogsmeade today. Would you like to come with us if you've got time?"

Hermione smiled at the friendliness Lily was known for. "I'd love to. But I think I'll go have breakfast first. I'll see you guys there."

Hermione stood up and made her way out the portrait hole. She entered the great hall and saw the boys not far away.

"Good morning." She said merrily.

"Hey, good morning." Remus replied. "We heard from James that you're leaving us again. I'm sorry to hear that."

Hermione nodded. "Me too…But I'm glad I can go back home. To my friends there."

"Do the girls know?" Sirius asked.

She nodded.

"We're going to miss you. It was really fun to meet a girl who could appreciate a good joke or a prank without sighing heavily." Sirius continued. "But we'll miss you."

"One of us especially." Peter said smugly, just before he got hit on the head for that comment by both James and Sirius.

Suddenly a loud crash made all four boys duck. Peter grinned.

"We did it!"

Sirius grinned too. "Yeah, we did! But let's get out of here before McGonagall sees us. She'll know it was us in an instant."

Hermione looked up quickly to see two floating chairs chasing a young Severus Snape through the hall.

"Let's go before Snivelus points at us." James said.

Immediately the boys all ran off in a different direction. James took Hermione by the hand and dragged her with him.

"Come on!" he urged. "He might blame you for it as well because he saw you with us."

They ran through the corridors, passing a large stone gargoyle.

"Wait!" Hermione panted.

James looked at her inquiringly.

"I need to get something." She said.

She whispered something to the gargoyle, who jumped aside to let her in. James waited for her impatiently and when she returned, he grabbed her wrist once more.

"What were you doing in there?" he asked her over his shoulder.

But Hermione didn't answer and stuffed something in her robe pocket.

"Let's get out of here and meet the boys at Hogsmeade. The girls will be there too."

Hermione nodded and followed James as fast as she could. When they finally reached the entrance to the little village, she noticed how James became more nervous. He craned his neck and searched the crowd to see if he could find someone.

Hermione smiled. "I'm sure Lily is out there somewhere. Why don't you try one of the pubs?"

James blushed. "I'm that obvious?"

"'fraid so. But don't worry. I knew you two belonged together the first time I saw you. It's…a cert that she'll accept a date from you. Just…ask her normally."

Hermione didn't walk on and stared at the castle in the back.

"I need to go back soon…I want to go back."

"Don't you want to say goodbye to everyone first?" James asked.

"I do."

James turned to face her and gave her a big hug. They let go when suddenly someone made a sound between disgust and hurt.

"Ugh!"

Hermione could see Lily's red hair billowing out behind her as she strode away from them.

"…Perhaps it isn't a good idea to say goodbye to everyone. Lily…doesn't like me very much, I feel."

"Why not?" James asked surprised.

Normally Lily liked everyone and everyone liked Lily. The girl even stood up for a person like Snape, who didn't even appreciate it.

"Don't you know?" Hermione asked with a smile. "She feels…that I'm standing in between the two of you. She loves you, so why can't you tell her that you love her too?"

James blushed. "I suppose you're right. I have been a bit confused, I'll admit. But I know I love Lily…and there's nothing that can change that."

"Then tell her." Hermione said warmly, feeling that she had finally fixed their problem.

"I'll come back with you to Hogwarts. I don't want you to leave alone."

She accepted his company and she walked towards the school grounds with him. Once they reached the Quidditch Pitch, she started to feel excited again. This was it. She was going home.

She looked around and tried to place herself where she had appeared those few days ago.

"Well, this is it then." She said to James. "Goodbye…"

"Wait, before you go…I've got something for you."

He handed her a small package with a little note. She took it and read the little paper.

'Nice to have met you. I'll never forget it and I hope you won't either. Perhaps we'll see each other again somewhere in the future.'

Hermione smiled at the little note before unwrapping the present. It was a small silver ring with a lion engraved in it.

"…James, that's really….it's wonderful! But I can't accept it…not where I'm going…"

James nodded. "I understand. You're not really from Stone Ridge, are you. I know you're not. Peter's aunt works there and she's never heard of you. And…I heard Dumbledore talking to McGonagall."

"…You're right. I'm not from Stone Ridge. But I can't tell you the truth… I can't."

James shook his head. "That's okay…Harry…I like that name. Does he really look that much like me?"

Hermione's head snapped up. She saw a little twinkle in his eyes, a twinkle that reminded her of Dumbeldore's eyes.

'Perhaps we'll see each other again somewhere in the future.' It shot through her head.

"How did you know…" she asked.

He shrugged and laughed. "I don't know…I just did."

Now she felt free to laugh too. "Yes. He's exactly like you…but he has her eyes…"

She gave the ring back to him.

"I'm leaving now. Promise me you'll go back to Hogsmeade to ask her out today. She loves you and you love her. Do something about it."

James laughed again. "I will. Goodbye Hermione."

He shook her hand one last time, gave her a hug and turned around.

"I'll see you around someday." He said as he walked away.

"…No…you won't…" she whispered. "Goodbye…"

She took out the bottle Dumbledore had given her from her pocket and drank the potion inside it. She watched as James' silhouette blurred and how the world around her slowly dissolved. Her stomach jerked and somersaulted before the world finally came back into focus.

James was no longer there. Slowly she noticed that there was a loud cheering sound coming from the Pitch behind her.

She turned around and saw a little red speck that was flying very fast, making very sharp turns.

It was Harry. And she realised he had seen the Snitch. She wanted to cheer, but remembered something.

Had it all been a dream? Her books were all over the grass and sharp shards of glass littered the ground around them.

She reached into her pockets and pulled out a little piece of paper.

'Nice to have met you. I'll never forget it and I hope you won't either. Perhaps we'll see each other again somewhere in the future.'

Not a dream, then.

Another, even louder roar of enthusiasm came from the pitch and she realised the game was over. Slowly a large red crowd emptied out onto the field and someone was carrying a gleaming silver cup.

In the middle of the group she recognised him, his black hair as messy as ever. Her heart jumped. She was back, back where she had left off.

Her heart jumped even more when she realised he was running to meet _her_.

"We've won!" he shouted halfway across the field. "We've won, Hermione!"

She broke into a run to meet him. His arms circled around her waist as they met, spinning her around in a little victory dance. When he stopped spinning her, their faces were closer than she could have ever hoped for.

She could see him swallow with difficulty and noticed she was doing the same herself.

He fumbled with something in his hands and slipped it on her finger. She tore her eyes away from his to look at what he had given her.

A small smile crossed her face as she saw it was a thin silver ring with an engraved lion on it. She looked back into his green eyes and smiled at him warmly.

He bent his neck and slowly brought his mouth down on hers. She closed her eyes and kissed him back.

A loud roar erupted from the crowd around them, but they didn't seem to notice. Ron smiled strangely and waved the wolf-whistling onlookers away.

"Go on, get moving. Nothing special to see…" he muttered with a large grin on his face.

When they finally broke apart there was no one else left on the field and dusk was slowly starting to fall. He smiled shyly at her.

"So…"

"Yeah…"

He laughed a little and leaned in for another, but shorter kiss. He took her hand and together they walked back up to the castle, hand in hand.

* * *

The End

* * *

**That was it guys. Actually, rereading this made me think it was a bit of an abrupt ending...oh well, too late to change it now :P**

**Emma Barrows:** Hope you enjoyed the story! I'm always glad to receive a review from you. I know you'll stick with it till the end. Thank you!

**Randypotter1222:** Well, I must admit that I hadn't thought about Lupin and Sirius while writing the story. But seeing as how they're not mentioned...I get away with it so easily ;)

**Pottersgirl91:** Hope you enjoyed the ending!

**Mercutio:** well, well, well what to say indeed ;) I discussed the ending with you earlier today and I think it's too sudden and too fluffy for you, but I will hear it from you in a few moments anyway, so...See you in de fusie in a few minutes!

**Olga de Bont:** You liked a sleeptalking Hermione? Good! I'm glad. De auditie is 5 november...dusss...ik ga heeeeeel veel studeren :P

**CherryHead:** I'm so happy to receive such an over happy review from someone who only just started reading. Sorry that this was the last chapter, you really joined in at the very last moment. But still, a good yet review is always better than no review at all ;)

**Tessa:** I am very flattered that you think I portrayed both lily an james in a proper way. There really isn't much to go on in the books, which makes it harder. Glad you liked it and perhaps I will see you at some of my other fics. (Not obligatory ;) )

**XXRoseDawsonXX:** I will certainly check out that story you mentioned. And I am very pleased to see that you liked the story a lot. I hope this last chapter didn't ruin it :P Thanks for all your reviews.

**Well guys, that is it from me for a while. I have got to try and get some studying done and I have to get some rest. I haven't slept a lot this week. I thought it was way too much fun to stay up a lot of nights with a housemate of mine and I must admit it did tire me out a bit :P Thanks again to everyone who reviewd, it always makes my day when I receive one of those lovely emails from you guys :D**

**Love, raven55**


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